Digital proof of delivery

ABSTRACT

A digital proof of delivery for digital goods items purchased online includes methods and systems for authenticating online purchases for helping to prevent and mitigate fraud. A unique download identification (ID) is created and associated with the digital goods download and purchase. Additionally, third parties may readily be allowed to view the download status of a digital goods item by providing the unique download identification (ID) of the item, which may be useful for aiding third party fraud investigations. In response to an item of digital goods purchased by a customer for download from a merchant having reached a specific stage of downloading, but the download is not complete, download is suspended and a dialog box is sent over a network for presentation to a customer, and, in response to a confirmation received via the dialog box, the download is completed with a download ID that is unique to the completed download.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims benefit of priority ofco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/435,209, filed Mar. 30,2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,070,153 issued Jun. 30, 2015, which isincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods andsystems for facilitating e-commerce and, more particularly, for enablingmerchants to provide proof of delivery of digital goods items forpreventing or reducing fraud.

2. Related Art

In today's media market, it is not at all uncommon to sell and deliverdigital content such as files, software, art, photographs, music, andmovies through a number of electronic sources. This is usually referredto as digital e-commerce or digital download delivery. Digital goods isa general term that may be used in e-commerce to refer to any goods thatare stored, delivered, or used electronically and may be used in avariety of industries, such as gaming, online content, and premiumvideo. Examples of digital goods include e-books, music files, games,video, news articles, media content, software, digital images, websitetemplates, manuals in electronic format, or any item which can beelectronically stored in a file or multiple files. People also purchasedigital goods in all sorts of online applications ranging from socialnetworking apps (applications) and games to massively multiplayer onlinegames. Some of the most popular items of these digital goods includevirtual goods such as virtual money and virtual weapons. Free-to-playgames, where one can start playing for free and then buy items in thegame as one needs them, also account for a large amount of virtual goodstransactions.

Digital goods may be delivered electronically to the consumer throughe-mail, for example, or by download from the Internet. Usually whenpurchasing digital goods online, after the merchant has received paymentthe merchant may provide the digital goods item as an e-mail attachmentor may provide the purchaser with a secure link where the purchaser candownload the item.

SUMMARY

According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, methodsand systems for digital proof of delivery facilitate authenticatingonline purchases for helping to prevent and mitigate fraud on purchaseof digital goods items. With the aid of one or more embodiments,merchants can authenticate the purchase when, for example, a customermakes a claim for an “item not received for digital goods purchase”.Additionally, third parties may be readily allowed to view the downloadstatus of a digital goods item by providing a unique downloadidentification (ID) of the item. The unique download identification (ID)of the item also may be useful for aiding third party fraudinvestigations.

In one or more embodiments, a system includes: a processor forcommunication over a network with a customer and a merchant, theprocessor executing a process that provides an intermediary between thecustomer and the merchant, in which, in response to an item of digitalgoods purchased by the customer for download from the merchant havingreached a pre-determined stage of downloading, and the download of theitem of digital goods is not complete, the processor suspends thedownload and communicates a dialog box over the network for presentationto the customer, and in which, in response to a confirmation receivedvia the dialog box, the processor completes the download of the item ofdigital goods and provides a download ID that is unique to the completeddownload.

In another embodiment, a method includes: in response to a download overa network of an item of digital goods purchased by a customer fordownload from a merchant having reached a pre-determined stage, and thedownload of the item of digital goods is not complete, suspending thedownload and communicating a dialog box over the network forpresentation to the customer; and in response to a confirmation receivedvia the dialog box, completing the download of the item of digital goodsand providing a download ID that is unique to the completed download.

In a further embodiment, a computer program product comprises anon-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable andexecutable code for instructing a processor to perform a method thatincludes: in response to a download over a network of an item of digitalgoods purchased by a customer for download from a merchant havingreached a pre-determined stage, and the download of the item of digitalgoods is not complete, suspending the download and communicating adialog box over the network for presentation to the customer; and inresponse to a confirmation received via the dialog box, completing thedownload of the item of digital goods and providing a download ID thatis unique to the completed download.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating a system for digital goodscommerce in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method for digital goods commercein accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating flows of information, goods, andpayments for digital goods commerce in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for digital goods commercein accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to providing solutions tohelp merchants provide proof of delivery of digital goods items forpreventing and reducing fraud. In one embodiment, a customer may buy adigital goods item from a merchant website; then, once the merchantreceives payment through, for example, a payment gateway, the merchantmay provide a secure connection to deliver the digital goods to thecustomer from a digital goods store (which may be the same or separatefrom the merchant website). A unique download identification (ID) iscreated and associated with the digital goods download and purchase.With this solution, merchants can authenticate the purchase when, forexample, a customer files a charge back for an “item not received fordigital goods purchase”. Additionally, any third party can view thedownload status by providing the unique download identification (ID),which may aid third party fraud investigation.

In one example of an embodiment, the parties or entities involved when acustomer (also referred to as a “user” of the system or services)purchases some digital goods item from a merchant website mayinclude: 1) a merchant website; 2) a payment gateway; and 3) a storethat sells digital goods (e.g., where the actual digital item resides).The payment gateway may include an online payment service and may be aservice provided by a financial service provider (FSP)—such as PayPal,Inc. of San Jose, Calif.—in which a user of the service may have anaccount with the FSP (referred to as an “FSP account). In one or moreembodiments, various mechanisms may be provided for sending digitalgoods including, for example, using the sender's FSP account and asender's digital goods “locker” provided by the FSP, using a receiver'sdigital goods locker provided by the FSP, using email, or providing forthe receiver to receive the digital goods directly from the seller,e.g., a merchant or a digital goods store. Once the user (customer)decides to purchase some digital goods item on the merchant website thenthe user may be asked to pay the amount specified as the price of theparticular digital goods item. The merchant website may establish asecure connection to the payment gateway by which to receive proceedsfor the purchase of the digital goods item. The gateway may, forexample, provide a channel for payment from the customer to the merchantor to the store that sells the item. Once the merchant website receivesfrom the payment gateway an indication of payment success, then themerchant contacts the store or stores to provide a secure connection(e.g., a link) for delivering the digital goods to the user. Forsecurity, the link for the secure connection may, for example, beavailable to the user on a time limited basis.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 for digital goods commerce according toone embodiment. A customer 102 (also referred to as a user of FSPservices) may communicate via a device 104 (e.g., a computer, cellphone, computing tablet, or other consumer electronic device) withfinancial service provider 120 via a network 106, such as the Internet.Customer 102 may also communicate via network 106 with a merchantwebsite 108 that may be a seller of digital goods (e.g., digital goods116). Merchant website 108 may sell digital goods online and maycommunicate with customer 102, for example, by operating a server 110(e.g., a computer processor) that presents a website for selling digitalgoods, the server 110 responding to client devices (e.g., device 104) bycommunicating over network 106. Merchant website 108 may alsocommunicate (for example, using server 110) with FSP 120 through FSPserver 122 over network 106.

For example, merchant website 108 may communicate with FSP 120 in thecourse of various services offered by FSP 120 to merchant website 108,such as payment intermediary (referred to as payment gateway 124)between customers (e.g., customer 102) of merchant website 108 andmerchant website 108 itself. Similarly, a digital goods store 112 maycommunicate using a server processor 114 over network 106 with any ofcustomer 102, merchant website 108, and FSP 120, each of which also maycommunicate with digital goods store 112 using network 106 via server114. FSP server 122 may execute various application programminginterfaces (APIs) that may enable various different types ofrelationships between FSP 120 and the different parties shown in FIG. 1.For example, merchant website 108 may use an API that allows it to offersale of goods in which customers are allowed to make payment through FSP120, while customer 102 may have an account with FSP 120, managed by adifferent API, that allows customer 102 to use the FSP 120 for makingpayments to sellers that allow use of payment gateway 124 of FSP 120 asa payment intermediary. Also as shown in FIG. 1, FSP 120 may provideelectronic data storage in the form of database 130. Database 130 may beused to keep track of user's accounts with FSP 120, merchant's accountswith FSP 120, and transactions between customers, merchants, and storesincluding payments between the various entities, for example.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method 200, according to one embodiment, showing aprocess flow for one or more digital goods transactions involvingsending and receiving digital goods with digital proof of delivery in asystem such as system 100 for digital goods commerce.

At step 201, a user of services provided by FSP 120, such as customer102 who may have an FSP account with FSP 120, may be shopping online,for example, at a merchant website 108 of a merchant who sells digitalgoods. The user 102 may decide whether or not to buy a particular itemof digital goods (e.g., digital goods 116), and if so, the customer(user) 102 may buy the digital goods item 116 from the merchant website108.

At step 202, FSP 120 may provide a service to the user (e.g., customer102) that allows the user to buy the item from the merchant website. Forexample, FSP 120 may provide a mouse click button on the merchantwebsite 108 that allows the user to pay the merchant website 108 fromthe user's account with the FSP 120 via the payment gateway 124. The FSP1210 may also provide a service to the merchant website 108 that allowsthe merchant website 108 to receive payment directly from the FSP 120 onbehalf of customer 102 without needing to know any financial informationof customer 102. Once the merchant website 108 receives payment fordigital goods 116 through the payment gateway 124, the merchant website108 may provide a secure connection to deliver digital goods 116 tocustomer 102 from digital goods store 112. Digital goods store 112 maybe separate from merchant website 108, and merchant website 108 mayprovide a payment to digital goods store 112 for the digital goods 116.In other examples, digital goods store 112 and merchant website 108 maybe commonly owned, may be parts of the same entity, or may be the sameentity.

At step 203, the digital goods 116 may be delivered to customer 102 fromdigital goods store 112 using the secure connection provided, forexample, by the merchant website 108. A secure connection may also beprovided, for example, by the FSP 120. Delivery of the item of digitalgoods 116 may also include a unique download identification (ID) thatcorresponds only to this particular download, e.g., the combination ofthe digital goods item downloaded, the IP address to which the item wasdownloaded, the store or merchant that provided the download, and thetime of the download. For example, customer 102 may download the digitalgoods 116 directly from digital goods store 112 using the secure linkprovided by merchant website 108 and that particular download occurrencemay have a unique ID associated with it that identifies that occurrenceand only that occurrence and may be stored (e.g., using an electronicdata storage device in communication with the processor on which theunique ID is created) by digital goods store 112 for future referenceby, for example, digital store 112, FSP 120, customer 102, or otherparty of interest. In another example, merchant website 108 may downloadthe digital goods 116 from the digital goods store using a secureconnection, then provide the digital goods to the customer 102 over thesecure link, and keep a record of the unique download ID.

FIG. 3 sequentially illustrates flows of information, goods, andpayments that may occur between a customer, a merchant, and a financialservice provider for digital goods commerce in accordance with anembodiment. At purchase request 301, for example, a merchant (e.g.,merchant website 108 or digital goods store 112) may receive a purchaserequest 301 from a customer (e.g., customer or user 102). At storage302, a web server (e.g., web server 110 of merchant website 108 orserver 114 of digital goods store 112) may store a user ID for customer102 and a digital goods item ID for the digital goods 116 item bought.The merchant website 108 may, for example, store the user ID and digitalgoods item ID in an electronic information storage or hardware memoryaccessible by server processor 110; the user ID and digital goods itemID may also be stored in database 130 by FSP 120. A payment request 303may then be sent to the payment gateway 124.

Payment gateway 124 may process the payment request 303. Examples ofprocessing include checking the customer's account, checking themerchant's account, transferring payments between accounts, anddeclining payment if funds are not available. Thus payment success mayor may not be achieved. If payment success is achieved, payment success304 may be sent to merchant 108, indicating that payment success hasbeen achieved.

Once the merchant 108 receives payment success 304 (e.g., a paymentsuccess message) from the payment gateway 124, then the merchant 108(e.g., web server 110) may create a unique download ID (that is uniquefor each download 305, for example, a random number) from the user IDand digital goods item ID. For example, the unique download ID may be anidentifier that uniquely corresponds to the combination of anidentification of the digital goods item purchased, an identification ofthe customer, an identification of a device to which the digital goodsitem is download, and an identification of the particular instance ofdownloading the digital goods item. Once the unique download ID has beencreated and stored, the server processor 110 (operated by, e.g.,merchant 108) may trigger the download 305.

The uniqueness of the download ID for each download 305 may enableproviding a proof of delivery for each download 305, for example, byallowing each item of downloaded digital goods to be tracked, identifiedand accounted for. Triggering the download 305 may include, for example,contacting the digital goods store 112 to provide a secure connection(e.g., a link) for delivering the digital goods 116 to the user. Asecure link may be encrypted, for example, and may be available to theuser 102 on a time limited basis. Triggering the download 305 may alsoinclude, for example, providing a mouse click button on the merchantwebsite 108, by which customer 102 can start the download 305 when thecustomer is ready. At customer start 306, the customer 102 may start thedownload 305, and at download start 307, the secure download 305 havingthe unique download ID corresponding to the user ID, the digital goodsitem ID, and the particular download 305 itself may begin over thesecure connection (e.g., link) provided by the merchant 108 to thecustomer 102.

When download 305 has reached a pre-determined stage such as beingnearly complete, e.g., download nearly complete event 308, web server110 may initiate a series of events. Download nearly complete event 308may use any desired threshold for determining that download 305 hasreached the pre-determined stage, e.g., nearly complete. In the exampleillustrated in FIG. 3, download nearly complete event 308 may betriggered when the download 305 is 99.9% complete, as shown; othercriteria for a threshold, however, could be defined beforehand, such as50% completion of download 305, and the threshold could, for example, bebased on the size (e.g., data bytes) of the digital goods item 116 orthe estimated time to complete at the data rate of the secure linkprovided by the merchant 108 to the customer 102.

Download nearly complete event 308 may initiate dialog box 309 in whichmerchant web server 110 throws (e.g., using a java script “throw”statement) a confirmation dialog box to user 102 asking user 102 toconfirm the download. 305. The confirmation dialog box can be thrown,for example, using java script which may reside in web server 110 andmay be monitoring the download 305. In response to dialog box 309, theuser 102 may select “OK” to proceed for download completion, forexample, by clicking on a confirmation button provided in theconfirmation dialog box. If response 310 is a confirmation (e.g., “OK”),download completion 311 may proceed. If response 310 is not aconfirmation, download completion 311 may be aborted.

At confirmation 312, the server 110 may update the download 305 statusand IP address against the unique download ID for download 305 (forexample, update database entries keyed to the unique download ID fordownload 305 in a database kept by merchant website 108 or in database130). Also, at confirmation 312, the server 110 may trigger an emailwith the download 305 status and unique download ID to be sent to user102. Email 313 may then be sent to user 102 about the user's downloadrequest status, and the email may provide the unique download ID forfuture reference by the user. For example, the user 102 may wish tocheck the status of download 305 on the merchant web site 108. Inaddition, the unique download ID stored at storage 302 may be used bythe download provider (e.g., merchant website 108, digital goods store112, or FSP 120) for various purposes such as showing the information tothird parties or customers when customers file charge backs (e.g.,return or refund for guaranteed items).

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method 400 for digital goodscommerce in accordance with an embodiment.

At step 401 of method 400, a user (e.g., customer 102) may startpurchasing a digital goods item (e.g., digital goods 116) on a merchantwebsite (e.g., merchant website 108).

At step 402, the merchant website may contact a payment gateway (e.g.,payment gateway 124 of FSP 120) for payment.

At step 403, once the payment is successful (e.g., a payment successmessage is received from the FSP 120), the merchant website may create aunique download ID associated with the user (customer) ID and thedigital goods item. This unique download ID may be tied to this item forthis user, for example, by cross-referencing in a database into whichthe unique download ID is stored. The download ID may uniquelycorrespond, for example, to a combination of factors, such as anidentification of the digital goods item purchased, an identification ofthe customer, an identification of a device to which the digital goodsitem is download, and an identification of the particular instance(e.g., timestamp) of downloading the digital goods item

At step 404, as the purchase is a success, the user may startdownloading the digital goods item from the item provider, e.g.,merchant website 108 or digital goods store 112. For example, the usermay click on a “start download” button provided on the merchant'swebpage.

At step 405, merchant web server (e.g., web server 110) may trigger adownload request (this download request may be tied to the uniquedownload ID; for example, the download request may correspond to and becross-referenced to the unique download ID at storage 302). The downloadrequest, for example, may be sent to the digital goods store 112 frommerchant website 108 and may contain information sufficient to provide asecure download to customer 102.

At step 406, when the download reaches a certain stage of completion,e.g., progresses to 99.9%, the merchant web server may throw aconfirmation dialog box to the user asking to confirm the download. Theconfirmation dialog box can be thrown, for example, using a java scriptthrow statement; java script may reside in the web server (e.g., webserver 110, web server 114, or web server 122) monitoring the downloadcorresponding to the download request.

At step 407, if the user desires the download to complete, the user mayselect “OK” in the confirmation dialog box, confirming the user's dialog(this may be regarded as being similar to the user physically signing acourier receipt after a delivery in the physical world). At step 408,the merchant web server may transfer the remaining bytes and completethe download.

At step 409, the merchant web server may gather the IP address of thedownload request (e.g., IP address of customer 102) and may update adatabase (e.g., merchant's database, digital goods store database, orFSP database 130) with the status of the download and the IP address,cross-referenced against the unique download ID.

At step 410, the merchant web server may trigger an email to the userabout the user's download request status and provide the unique downloadID so that the user can definitively refer to the particular download byits unique download ID. At step 411, for example, having the uniquedownload ID for future reference, the user can go to the merchant website and, using the definitive reference provided by the unique downloadID, can check the download status.

At step 412, the merchant can show relevant information (e.g., downloadstatus) to third parties or customers when customers file charge backs.With the unique download ID used as a cross-reference, for example,merchants can authenticate when customers file charge backs, e.g.,claims for “item not received on order for digital goods item”. Also, inone or more embodiments, any third party can view the download status byproviding the unique download ID, and the unique download ID can becrucial for third party fraud investigation.

In implementation of the various embodiments, embodiments of theinvention may comprise a personal computing device, such as a personalcomputer, laptop, PDA, cellular phone or other personal computing orcommunication devices. The payment provider system may comprise anetwork computing device, such as a server or a plurality of servers,computers, or processors, combined to define a computer system ornetwork to provide the payment services provided by a payment providersystem.

In this regard, a computer system may include a bus or othercommunication mechanism for communicating information, whichinterconnects subsystems and components, such as a processing component(e.g., processor, micro-controller, digital signal processor (DSP),etc.), a system memory component (e.g., RAM), a static storage component(e.g., ROM), a disk drive component (e.g., magnetic or optical), anetwork interface component (e.g., modem or Ethernet card), a displaycomponent (e.g., CRT or LCD), an input component (e.g., keyboard orkeypad), and/or cursor control component (e.g., mouse or trackball). Inone embodiment, a disk drive component may comprise a database havingone or more disk drive components.

The computer system may perform specific operations by processor andexecuting one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained ina system memory component. Such instructions may be read into the systemmemory component from another computer readable medium, such as staticstorage component or disk drive component. In other embodiments,hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination withsoftware instructions to implement the invention.

Logic may be encoded in a computer readable and executable medium, whichmay refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions tothe processor for execution. Such a medium may take many forms,including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, andtransmission media. In one embodiment, the computer readable medium isnon-transitory. In various implementations, non-volatile media includesoptical or magnetic disks, such as disk drive component, volatile mediaincludes dynamic memory, such as system memory component, andtransmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiberoptics, including wires that comprise bus. In one example, transmissionmedia may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as thosegenerated during radio wave and infrared data communications.

Some common forms of computer readable and executable media include, forexample, floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any othermagnetic medium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, ROM,E2PROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier wave,or any other medium from which a computer is adapted to read.

In various embodiments, execution of instruction sequences forpracticing the invention may be performed by a computer system. Invarious other embodiments, a plurality of computer systems coupled by acommunication link (e.g., LAN, WLAN, PTSN, or various other wired orwireless networks) may perform instruction sequences to practice theinvention in coordination with one another.

Modules described herein can be embodied in one or more computerreadable media or be in communication with one or more processors toexecute or process the steps described herein.

A computer system may transmit and receive messages, data, informationand instructions, including one or more programs (i.e., applicationcode) through a communication link and a communication interface.Received program code may be executed by a processor as received and/orstored in a disk drive component or some other non-volatile storagecomponent for execution.

Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosuremay be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardwareand software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware componentsand/or software components set forth herein may be combined intocomposite components comprising software, hardware, and/or both withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present disclosure. Where applicable,the various hardware components and/or software components set forthherein may be separated into sub-components comprising software,hardware, or both without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated thatsoftware components may be implemented as hardware components andvice-versa—for example, a virtual Secure Element (vSE) implementation ora logical hardware implementation.

Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as programcode and/or data, may be stored on one or more computer readable andexecutable mediums. It is also contemplated that software identifiedherein may be implemented using one or more general purpose or specificpurpose computers and/or computer systems, networked and/or otherwise.Where applicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may bechanged, combined into composite steps, and/or separated into sub-stepsto provide features described herein.

The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present inventionto the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. It iscontemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications tothe present invention, whether explicitly described or implied herein,are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus described variousexample embodiments of the disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. Thus, the invention islimited only by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a hardware processor forcommunication over a network with a customer and a merchant; anelectronic data storage device in communication with the serverprocessor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computerreadable code that, when executed by the hardware processor, causes thehardware processor to perform operations comprising: determining that adownload of digital goods over a network has reached a pre-determinedstage of completion; suspending the download of digital goods at thepre-determined stage of completion; sending to a device of the customerover the network, a request for a confirmation for a completion of thedownload; receiving the confirmation; creating a download identification(ID) unique to one occurrence of a confirmed completion of the downloadof the digital goods; storing the download ID on an electronic datastorage device in communication with the hardware processor; accessing,by the hardware processor, the download ID on the electronic datastorage device; and in response to a third party providing the downloadID, providing a status of the completed download for the third party. 2.The system of claim 1, wherein determining that the download of digitalgoods over a network has reached the pre-determined stage of completionfurther comprises monitoring the download with respect to whether thedownload has progressed to a pre-defined threshold of completion.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein communicating the request for theconfirmation for the completion of the download comprises sending adialog box over the network for display on the device of the customer.4. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer readable codethat, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the hardwareprocessor to perform operations comprising completing the download inresponse to receiving the confirmation.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the unique download ID is electronically created based on usinga random number for uniqueness.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein theprocessor is further configured to, in creating the unique download ID,create an identifier that uniquely corresponds to a combination of twoor more of: an identification of the digital goods downloaded, an IPaddress to which the digital goods were downloaded, an identification ofa merchant that provided the download; and a time of the download. 7.The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to,in creating the unique download ID, create an identifier that uniquelycorresponds to a combination of two or more of: an identification of thedigital goods downloaded, an identification of the customer, anidentification of the device of the customer to which the digital goodswere downloaded, and an identification of the particular instance of thedigital goods downloaded.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein storing thedownload ID comprises storing the unique download ID in a database of amerchant, a digital goods store database, or a service providerdatabase.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein storing the download IDcomprises storing the unique download ID with a user ID for thecustomer.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein accessing the download IDcomprises accessing a database of a merchant, a digital goods storedatabase, or a service provider database.
 11. The system of claim 1,wherein providing the status of the completed download comprisesupdating a database with the status and the IP address to which thedigital goods were downloaded, cross-referenced against the uniquedownload ID.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the status ofthe completed download comprises accessing a database, using the uniquedownload ID for a cross-reference, for the status of the completeddownload and the IP address to which the digital goods were downloaded.13. A hardware processor-implemented method comprising: determining, bythe hardware processor, that a download of digital goods over a networkhas reached a pre-determined stage of completion; interrupting, by thehardware processor, the download of digital goods at the pre-determinedstage of completion; communicating, by the hardware processor to adevice of a customer over the network, a request for a confirmation fora completion of the download; generating, by the hardware processor inresponse to receiving the confirmation, a download identification (ID)unique to one occurrence of a confirmed completion of the download ofthe digital goods; storing, by the hardware processor, the download IDon an electronic data storage device in communication with the hardwareprocessor; accessing, by the hardware processor, the download ID on theelectronic data storage device; and in response to a third partyproviding the download ID, providing, by the hardware processor, astatus of the completed download for the third party.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, further comprising completing the download in response toreceiving the confirmation.
 15. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising contacting a digital goods store to provide a secureconnection for delivering the digital goods to the customer in responseto receiving the confirmation.
 16. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising communicating the unique download ID of the particularoccurrence of the confirmed completion of the download of the digitalgoods to the device of the customer over the network.
 17. The method ofclaim 13, wherein communicating the request for the confirmation for thecompletion of the download further comprises sending a dialog box overthe network for display on the device of the customer.
 18. The method ofclaim 13, wherein providing the status of the completed downloadcomprises updating a database with the status and the IP address towhich the digital goods were downloaded, cross-referenced against theunique download ID.
 19. The method of claim 13, wherein providing thestatus of the completed download comprises accessing a database, usingthe unique download ID for a cross-reference, for the status of thecompleted download and the IP address to which the digital goods weredownloaded.
 20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprisinginstructions which, in response to execution by a computer system, causethe computer system to: determine that a download of digital goods overa network has reached a pre-determined stage of completion; suspend thedownload of digital goods at the pre-determined stage of completion;request from a customer device via a network, a confirmation for acompletion of the download; receive the confirmation for completion ofthe download of the digital goods; supply a download identification (ID)unique to one occurrence of a confirmed completion of the download ofthe digital goods; store the download ID on an electronic data storagedevice in communication with the hardware processor; access the downloadID on the electronic data storage device; and in response to a thirdparty providing the download ID, report a status of the completeddownload to the third party based on accessing a database using theunique download ID for a cross-reference to the confirmed completion ofthe download of the digital goods.